ANDRE & ANDRE. - This firm is classed
among the leading and progressive mercantile houses of the city of Jacksonville,
and their extensive business as "High Grade House Furnishers" is not confined to
the city, the county, or the State. While they are transacting a very large and
growing business at home, they ship goods to many points in all the Western
States. The heads of this establishment are the brothers H. M. and G. B. Andre,
doing business under the firm name of Andre & Andre.

H. M. Andre, the elder member of the firm,
was born on his father's farm in the northwestern part of Morgan County, June
20, 1967, the son of M. F. and Elizabeth A. (Graham) Andre, the former a native
of France, who came to America in 1851and located as a farmer in Morgan County
three years later. H. M. Andre attended the schools in his neighborhood and the
Meredosia High School, assisting in the farm work, teaching in the vicinity, and
later graduating from the Gem City Business college, at Quincy, Ill. His first
business venture was in connection with his uncles, George W. Graham and H. S.
Hysinger (Hysinger & Graham), prominent merchants in the village of
Meredosia. Sometime later he went to Marble, Colo., and there spent two years in
the mountains engaged in mercantile pursuits. He then returned to Morgan County,
and in 1894 secured the position of bookkeeper at the Central Hospital for the
Insane at Jacksonville, after which he made a second trip to the Colorado
mountains, which was more a journey for pleasure than business.

Mr. Andrew was married April 28, 1897, to Louise E. Reyland, daughter of E.
E. L. Reyland, formerly a merchant of Morgan County, but now a resident of
California. Mr. Andre is a member of the Episcopal Church, in which he holds the
position of vestryman; is also affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America and
the Tribe of Ben Hur, and supports the principles of the Democratic party.

The firm of Andre & Andre was established June 1, 1898, when the two
brothers succeeded to the business of S. A. Fairbank on the north side of the
Public Square, Jacksonville. The business was then of small dimensions, but
under the able management of Andre brothers, has become one of the leading
establishments of its kind in this part of the State. The needs of their
business require their entire large brick store building, three stories in
height with basement, the show room on the ground floor being 40 feet wide by
180 feet in depth. This commodious structure is completely filled with a
valuable stock of up-to-date goods pertaining to their line of business.

G. B. Andre, the younger brother of the
firm of Andre & Andre, also born on his father's farm, spent his younger
days in attendance at the local schools and making himself generally useful. He
was born May 18, 1876; finished his education in the High School in Meredosia,
and then started on his business career in the spring of 1894, as a clerk for J.
H. Osborne in Jacksonville, being later with W. L. Alexander. In these two
positions he spent four years and in 1898 was therefore well qualified to join
his brother, H. M. in establishing their present business. He was married June
16, 1897, to Jennie L. McFalls, daughter of James McFalls, a retired farmer of
Morgan County, and they have one child, Gladys. G. B. Andre is a member of the
order of Elks, Knights of Pythias and Masonic Fraternity, and belongs to the
Christian Church, in which he is a Deacon. In political relations he is
independent.